Jemboy Baltazar laid to rest as family seeks justice

Seventeen-year-old Jemboy Baltazar was laid to rest on Wednesday as the family pursues justice for his death at the hands of Navotas policemen.

Friends, family, and neighbors joined the procession to Baltazar's final resting place at La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City, according to a report by Jonathan Andal on ''24 Oras.''

Meanwhile, former Navotas City Police chief Police Colonel Allan Umipig, who was relieved from his post due to the incident, attended the funeral Mass, which was celebrated by Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.

David stressed in his homily that the police officers' job is to enforce the law, not to commit murder.

“Mga kapatid na pulis, hindi kayo ang batas. Mga alagad lang kayo ng batas. Hindi kayo inatasan, binihisan ng uniporme, inarmasan at binabayaran mula sa buwis ng bayan para pumatay,'' the bishop said.

Baltazar was on a small boat on his way to go fishing on August 2 when he was shot and killed by Navotas City policemen pursuing a shooting suspect in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran.

A friend who was with Baltazar said they were preparing their boat when a policeman ordered them to get off. They reportedly tried to give themselves up, but the policemen allegedly kept on shooting, prompting Baltazar to dive into the water.

The police later claimed it was a case of mistaken identity. Some of the six policemen who were initially reported to be involved in the incident said in their affidavits that they fired shots into the water and that they did not intend to hit Baltazar.

On Tuesday night, the Baltazar family visited the six detained policemen involved in the teenager's death.

Although the suspects apologized, Jemboy’s mother, Rodaliza Baltazar, said that they were not able to get any confessions regarding the killing.

“Tinanong ko po kayo kung bakit kayo nagsoso-sorry, ang sabi niyo pampalubag loob niyo lang para sa akin. Hindi po yun tama. Tiningnan ko yung itsura niyo, wala po sa loob niyo yung paghingi niyo ng sorry,” Rodaliza said.

“Naging berdugo kayo bigla niyo na lang pinagbabaril yung anak ko,” she added.

The family said that they would push to have the suspects' criminal charges upgraded from reckless imprudence resulting in homicide to murder.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, meanwhile, vowed to push for a Senate investigation into Baltazar's death and said the six suspects should undergo drug tests. — Jiselle Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News